CM Siddaramaiah says K’taka govt to launch probe on poll fraud allegations

Mysuru, Karnataka: In a major breakthrough, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced a probe into charges of vote malpractice during the state's Lok Sabha elections.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah spoke to the media at Mysuru airport on Saturday, responding to queries about the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, suggesting that the government take action against vote fraud.

Rahul Gandhi, during his speech at a protest rally in Bengaluru on Friday, urged CM Siddaramaiah to investigate the election fraud in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment in Bengaluru and other constituencies in Karnataka and initiate legal action against those who indulged in the stealing of votes.

He further stated: "Legal action will be taken based on the recommendations."

The Chief Minister added that the party will examine this matter before the upcoming Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections, IANS reported.

He further mentioned that the Advocate General will be directed to conduct the inquiry swiftly and submit a report.

However, CM Siddaramaiah clarified that full authority over the electoral roll rests with the Election Commission.

Responding to former minister C.M. Ibrahim’s statement alleging that 3,000 votes were purchased in Badami assembly constituency in 2018, for Siddaramaiah’s victory, the Chief Minister said: "Ibrahim is not from our party. I had only visited Badami for nomination and campaigning. Other than that, I am not aware of any such issue. I won with a margin of 1,600 votes. This is new information to me, and I know nothing about it.”

Responding to the BJP's criticism of Congress raising concerns over electoral fraud now, Siddaramaiah said: “The BJP is making false claims to cover their own wrongdoings. Our internal survey had predicted we would win 16 Lok Sabha seats, but we ended up winning only 9. Rahul Gandhi has presented evidence-based claims.

"All relevant documents are with the State and Central Election Commissions. Rahul Gandhi has raised issues based on official records. Is it really possible for 80 people to live in a single small room? We came to know about these facts only after studying the matter,” CM Siddaramaiah stated.

Asked whether the judiciary should take suo motu action to ensure public trust in the Election Commission amid these fraud allegations, the Chief Minister said: “We have always maintained that manipulation happens during elections—whether in EVMs or voter rolls. In my opinion, Rahul Gandhi's claims made in the media are true.”

When reporters questioned him about an old speech of his—now going viral on social media—where he had allegedly stated that even dead people had voted in a by-election, the Chief Minister responded: “If dead people have voted, then who is responsible for that? The Election Commission is directly accountable.”

Responding to the BJP's claim that he won because IAS officer Raymond Peter was appointed as an observer in 2006, during a crucial phase of his political career, Siddaramaiah countered, “Had Peter not been there, they might have defeated me.”

It can be recalled that Siddaramaiah had been expelled from JD(S) and joined the Indian National Congress in 2006. To reaffirm his political strength and re-enter the Karnataka Assembly, he contested the Chamundeshwari by-election.

Siddaramaiah won the by-election held in December 2006, but by a very narrow margin — around 257 votes against JD (S) candidate late M. Shivabasappa.